Meet Caitlin Wilayto!

Owner of Little Shop of Rose Gold

I got the chance to talk to fellow Hartt School Alum, Caitlin Wilayto, this week about how she turned her side hustle into a business! I can't wait until we are all back in the dressing room decorating our stations with gems from Little Shop of Rose Gold! Enjoy Caitlin's ~rose colored~ outlook on life!

-

- What inspired you to start little shop of rose gold? 
"I got the idea for the shop when I was in a show and the cast took a shopping trip to find cute things for our dressing rooms! We got some little candles and jewelry holders and I thought about how fun would it be if they were theater themed. That’s when I realized...I could make my own! I was always looking for a more artistically fulfilling side job and this seemed like to perfect way to stay creative in the time between shows!"

-
-How has the pandemic affected your business? 
"When quarantine started I shut down the shop completely. At that point I didn’t want to risk bringing outside packages in or even walking to the post office. During that initial shutdown it did give me some time to organize and design some new candles that promoted the “stay at home” message. It took about a month for new inventory to arrive since everything was backed up. It definitely slowed down the momentum I had from BroadwayCon but I am so grateful that my customers were understanding and just happy to promote small businesses!"
-
- What’re you most excited for when Broadway returns?
"Ahhh so many things! These last couple months have been so hard for the broadway community but they have also been extremely eye opening. Listening and learning from BIPOC artists has empowered us all to continue to fight for inclusivity. I am looking forward to seeing more of these voices amplified on Broadway. The time in isolation has allowed us to focus on important stories that need to be heard and I am excited to see broadway flourish after this. My personal broadway dreams have never been stronger and I definitely am itching to be in “the room where it happens” if you know what I mean!"

Fun Facts:

What is your favorite role you’ve ever played?
Such a hard question!! If I had to choose I would say Roxie. I felt so vulnerable standing alone on that stage performing her monologue into her song but I also have never felt more connected to an audience. I love watching different Roxies perform the number and make it their own. I got a taste of playing Roxie a couple years ago and I can’t wait to have the chance to do it again!
What is your dream role? 
Well I know this is SHOCKING but I’ve never played a Disney Princess!! So that is definitely a dream (Ariel, Anna, Rapunzel) but my broadway dream role is Glinda! 
What is your coffee order?
Cold brew with almond milk all day everydayyy!
What show are you binge watching?
Lost! I never saw it from start to finish and I am OBSESSED!